Aging Belgium degrades and suffers 21 shots from Canada in Doha – 23/11/2022

The talented Belgian generation has aged. In a match of poor technical quality, it was possible to see that the team that eliminated Brazil no longer exists. With only 3 players under 29 in the starting XI, Belgium were worse in all stats compared to the last World Cup, where they shone in third place.

Against Canada, the Belgians exchanged 526 passes, 449 of which were accurate. Figures lower than 3-0 against Panama, also of Concacaf, when the European team distributed a total of 568 balls, of which 485 were correct. And also finished less. In 2018, there were 13 shots on target, 6 of them correct, compared to just 3 in today’s duel in Doha.

Canada, by the way, dominated the game. He risked 21 times against the Belgian goal, which was lucky the Americans’ goal was terrible. By the way, the number is five times what Panama did in 2018. The Canadians simply didn’t win because they wasted a penalty when the match was 0-0, with Davies, who missed several other goals.

Ball possession was balanced, with 51% for the Belgians and 49% for the Canadians. Not even a shadow of the 65% ball possession applied by the 2018 World Cup sensation on his resounding debut against Panama. On this occasion, there were still 9 corners for, against 4 against this Wednesday.

Pudera: the main players on the pitch in Belgium are older. Star of the team, De Bruyne is 31 years old and was nil against the Canadian team. Hazard, who is the same age, is not even the shadow of this player who was one of the stars of the real Madridcurrently relegated to the reserve bench of the Spanish club.

The Belgian number 10 is one of the symbols of the aging of the national team. He remains one of the main highlights even though he has only made 6 appearances for Real Madrid this season. Since joining the club, he has averaged 18 games a year, very few for a player who was the star of the semi-final team in Russia.

In contrast, 30-year-old goalkeeper Courtois is at the height of his career and is considered the best in the world at his position. It is thanks to him that the European team did not succumb to Canada and decreed a new surprise in the Cup. Sure, he did his part at the time of the trigger and still defended a penalty with mastery.

Witsel (33), Carrasco (29), Vertonghen (35) and Alderweireld (33) are other vestiges of the beginnings against Panama four years ago who have aged and no longer present the same technical level as at the last World Cup. Lukaku (29) is also said to be on the pitch, but he got injured and is only expected to return in the last match of the first phase. His replacement scored the winning goal: Batshuayi, another on the eve of the 30th.

Belgium returns to the pitch against Morocco on the 27th at the Al Thumama stadium. Afterwards, there should be a direct duel which could claim the leadership of the group against Croatia, the 1st, at the same Ahmad Bin Ali who faced Canada.

Laura Davis

"Total troublemaker. Alcohol aficionado. Social media specialist. Friendly travel nerd."

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